Ball cock



April 30, 1935. M. D. HELFRICH BALL COCK Filed Aug. 10, 1.951

Patented Apr. 30, 1935 l*realism PATlazlvrA ortica 3 Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to improvements in ball cocks for water closet iiush tanks and relates, more particularly, to the means forsilencing the flowof fwater fromthe hush-tube into the tank and the mounting of the hush-'tubeand water i tube on the ,shank by which the complete ball cock is attached to the bottom ofthe flushtank.

As heretofore constructed, the water; Supply tube and the hush tube have-had a weaknconf neotion to the ball cockshank, tendingto bend-l ing or breakage at the bottom of the tank, should an unauthorized person tamper withy the ball cock or the hush tube or Vfloat ball lever. Y' l An object oi my invention is to overcome these defectsby the provision of improved means con-y stituting a part of the ball cock shank Yby which connection to the hush-tube is strengthened and which also silences the flow of the water and directs it in a sheet into thebottom of the tank. These improvements also create a back pressure inf the hush-tube so that thewater willv pass through the reseal tube commonly used. Furthermore, these latter improvements obviate the necessity of an extra casting and the machining of the ball cock shank and make the ball cock very quiet in use, besides providing for ad- `just1nent of the hush-tube for the purpose of controlling the water according to the pressure existent in the particular locality where the device is used.

These latter improvements embody iianges on the upper part of the ball cock shank, which anges have cut-away parts for the flow of the water, said cut-away parts being arrangedin staggered relationship on the diierent iianges. This breaks up the flow of water and causes it to issue from the bottom of the hush-tube in the' form of a sheet and with a minimum noise. In addition, the cut-away iianges tightly lit within the lower part of the hush-tube and reinforce it and aiiord a strong joint between the hushtube and the ball cock shank while permitting screwing of the hush-tube up or down to regulate theiiow according to the pressure.

The cut-away, spaced flanges which are provided on the upper end of the ball cock shank, tightly nt into the lower or discharge end of the hush-tube and support, brace, and provide a rigid connection which prevents the water supply tube from being broken off, inasmuch as the hush-tube encloses the water supply tube and houses and guards it. This construction overcomes what has been a serious defect in earlier ball cocks. Y

A practical embodiment of the invention is or closure 8.7,"

spaced apart `as shown at I5.

Aflanges I4 have flats or cut-awayparts I6,

(Cl.` IS7-104)" companying drawing, vrin which:

Figure 1 is a-side elevation, the lower part of .the hush-tube being broken away;

lFig. 2 is asimilar view taken atnright angles to Fig. l, the upper and lower parts of the hushe hereinafterMdescribedend shown in the actube andthe ballfcock body and ball cock shank being Yin section,`fu1l,lines `representing the fulcrum lever,"links, and float lball lever in position lfor use, dotted` lines. showing how these .parts may be swung backwardly, lwithout det achment,by removing the single thumb screw;

Fig. 3 is avsection orifthe line 3- 3,-Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4. is a section on theline 4 4, Fig. 1. Thebottom of Ythe lflush :tank appears at I,

Y the ball cock shank isshown-atv 2, the supply tube appears at 3'and the hush` tube is disposed at 4. The ball cock body 5 carries the usual diaphragm valve 6otheV plunger 1, and theremovable plug y The supply tube 3 is'provided with Yscrew threads 9 at itsupperend which engage a screw threaded socket iny ,thespider-,IU and said tube supplies water to thenseat "lvl, vjj'i'lie lowerfend of thetube 3 is screwed into theimproved upper end of the ball cock shank at I2 in a permanent manner so that the tube 3 is rigid with the shank 2. Adjustment up and down of the hush-tube 4 may be had by virtue of the screw threadedv o connection 9 by which means theeiective water A mouth or outlet I 3 may be varied to suit the water pressure.

The upper part of the shank 2 is provided with integral flanges or discs I4, of which there may be two or more. These discs or ilanges are of a diameter adapting them to snugly fit the interior wall ofthe hush-tube 4 and they are The respective these cut-away parts onone of the flanges being disposed in oiset relationship. to the cut-away parts on the other flange; consequently, the water iiowlng down the'hush-tube 4 is checked andl made to circulate in the passage I5, after passing the upper iiange before it can have an out- Vlet through the flattened parts I6 of the'flange next below and then4 pass into the outlet I3,

`from which it issues in a sheetinto the tank.

The t of the upper part of the shankj 2 into rthe bottom of the hush-tube forms a rigid connection for the hush-tube 4 and minimizes danger of the hush-tube becoming displaced or deliberately bent by unauthorized persons, thereby guarding, supporting and bracing the water supply tube 3 and preventing it from ybecoming bent or broken off, thus overcoming what has been aserous defect in earlier ball cocks.

The operating means at the upper end of the ball cock embody a fulcrum lever I'I, a oat ball lever I8, which is pivoted thereto at I9, a pair of links which are pivoted at 2l to the float ball Vlever I8 and are pivoted at 22 to an ear 23 on the ball cock body 5, and a single thumb screw 24 by which the fulcrum lever I'Iis detachably pivoted toa pair of ears 25 oni the body-5. a I-Ieretofore, in addition to the' thumb-screw for pivotally connecting the lever I'I to'the body 5, there has been provided a pair of links integraljs'f; with the said body, to which links the iloart `l ball lever I8 has been pivotally connected by 'a second thumb screw, necessitating:` the provision of two thumb screws, andthemployment of a linkage between the fulcrum'lever-'and-the float ball lever. With the old construction,,bothjv of the thumb screws have vvhad tobe removed,l completely detaching the levers, when access-to the ball cock became necessary. *The detachment of' the levers often-resulted in los'sf'of the thumb screws and, in addition, thelinkso'rlug's" integral with the body have b'en'inthefway of access to ,the'ball cock. i 1' y f f Y My present improvements Vovercome these defects, as it will be seenth'atit is'only necessary to -remove the single' thumb screw 2l' to' permit the entire operative systemic-be thrownback, as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 2, ,completelyclearing the topV of the appliance andpermitting ready access to the ball cock.- Preferably, the connections` I8 ,2 I, 22, are rivets, so that the parts cannotbecome'detaehed. A As usual, the lever yI1 bears on" thelplunger 'I, for operating the diaphragm 1 "I n What I claim is: I j -v e 51. In a ball cock, thecombinationlwith a" ball cock shank having an upper part provideduwith a'pluralityy of spaced flangesy whose edges lhave cut-awayparts,` the cut-away parts-,of the respective iianges being offsetfor staggered in 'rel lation to each other, a hush-tubeltelescoped over the aforesaid flanges and tting the edges thereof, thereby providing staggered water passages between the flanges and the hush-tube, the lower end of the hush-tube being arranged for the outow of water after it flows through the passages and between the said flanges, and a supply tube connected to said shank.

2. In alball cock, the combination with a ball cock shank having an upper part provided with a plurality of spaced anges having openings, the openings of the respective flanges being offset or staggered relative to each other, a hush-tube telescoped over said flanges and tting the edges thereof, thereby providing staggered water pas- "sagesY within the hush-tube, the lower end of `the,jliush-tube being arranged for the outflow oi waterafter itflows through the passages, and a supply tube Vconnected to said shank.

3. Inga ball cock, 'the combination with a ball cock shank the upper part of which is provided with anges' having Water passages, of a supply tube connected directly to and rising above said shank,-a 4ball cock ybody-to which the 'upper end of the` supply'tube is adjustably connected, and a hush-tube ,connectedvat its upper vend to Atheball'cock body and having the lower end thereofltightly iitting around and vertically slidablerelative to 'the upper part of the ball cock slfiankand engaging with -and reinforced by said upper partof the shank, whereby the hush-tube is-lrinfo`rced atA its lower end YandY is supported by said shank against lateral movement and is slidably adjustable yup and down on the'Y upper partof `thelsha'nkv by effecting adjustment of the'supplytube as aforesaid to suitY the water pressureand to silence the flow ofv water through saidfwater passages and below the lower end of the hush-tube, said hush-tube having `the shank extending into the lower end portion Yonly thereof, and having thesupply tube extending approximately throughout the entire length of the hush-tube."

MICHAEL D. HELFRICH. 

